An Army veteran from Cody, Wyoming, found himself in a fight with a juvenile mountain lion after the predator attacked his two-year-old Labrador retriever, Diesel, near the South Fork Road area outside Cody.
asserted
predator → find → Cody
Adam Borkhus had driven into the area hoping to photograph elk and was carrying bear spray and a pistol when he heard his dog yelp.
asserted
dog → drive → spray
He ran towards the sound and found the mountain lion on top of Diesel.
asserted
He → run → Diesel
Because the animals were entangled, Borkhus feared shooting could hit his dog, so he kicked the mountain lion.
uncertain
he → entangle → lion
The animal immediately turned on him, knocked him to the ground and fought with him for roughly 20 seconds before fleeing.
asserted
animal → turn → seconds
Borkhus suffered scratches, while Diesel escaped without significant injuries.
asserted
Diesel → suffer → injuries
How a Wyoming Army veteran's trip to photograph elk turned into a fight
Borkhus had travelled with Diesel to the South Fork area near Cody, where he hoped to photograph elk.
asserted
he → photograph → elk
KTVQ reported that rainy weather had made him think the conditions could produce interesting photographs.
uncertain
conditions → report → photographs
He stopped near the Deer Creek Trailhead and let Diesel out of the vehicle.
asserted
He → stop → vehicle
The situation changed within moments.
asserted
situation → change → moments
Borkhus heard Diesel yelp and went to investigate, discovering a young mountain lion on top of his dog.
asserted
Diesel → hear → dog
The encounter occurred in heavy cover along South Fork Road, according to Wyoming Game and Fish officials.
uncertain
encounter → occur → officials
Borkhus already had two forms of protection with him.
asserted
Borkhus → have → him
He was carrying bear spray and a pistol because of the presence of grizzlies in the area.
asserted
He → carry → area
However, the close-range struggle between Diesel and the mountain lion created another problem: either weapon could potentially injure his own dog.
uncertain
weapon → create → dog
“There wasn’t time to think,” Borkhus told Cowboy State Daily, explaining that his immediate concern was protecting Diesel.
asserted
concern → be → Diesel
The kick that made the mountain lion turn on him
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lion → make → him
With Diesel underneath the mountain lion, Borkhus decided to intervene physically.
asserted
Borkhus → decide → lion
He kicked the animal, which caused it to turn away from the Labrador and towards him.
asserted
it → kick → him
The mountain lion then pounced on Borkhus and struck him in the chest, knocking him onto his back.
asserted
lion → pounce → back
The Wyoming man said he tried to keep the animal's mouth away from his neck and face while using his other hand to fight it.
asserted
he → say → it
Borkhus estimated that the physical struggle lasted around 20 seconds, although KTVQ reported that he described the entire encounter as lasting less than 30 seconds.
asserted
he → estimate → seconds
During the fight, he attempted to punch the mountain lion as it repeatedly swiped at him.
asserted
it → attempt → him
Despite being much larger than the animal, Borkhus said he was surprised by its strength.
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he → say → strength
He described himself as 6 feet 3 inches tall and 320 pounds and estimated that the juvenile mountain lion weighed no more than about 70 pounds.
“He hit me in the chest and put me right down.
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He → describe → me
That thing was strong,” Borkhus told Cowboy State Daily.
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Borkhus → tell → Daily
The mountain lion eventually broke away and disappeared into the surrounding vegetation.
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lion → break → vegetation
Diesel escaped without serious injury
Once the mountain lion fled, Borkhus discovered that Diesel had escaped the confrontation without significant injuries.
asserted
Diesel → escape → injuries
The Labrador apparently had little interest in continuing the adventure.
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Labrador → have → adventure
According to Borkhus, Diesel ran directly back to the vehicle and waited there while his owner recovered from the encounter.
uncertain
owner → accord → encounter
Borkhus later joked about his dog's reaction, saying Diesel appeared to be communicating that they should leave.
asserted
they → joke → reaction
He also said the experience did not seem to change the dog's personality.
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experience → say → personality
He’s just his own dumb self,” Borkhus told Cowboy State Daily when asked whether Diesel had become nervous or behaved differently afterwards.
asserted
Diesel → ’ → Daily
Borkhus, meanwhile, was left with scratches on his face, hands and arms.
asserted
Borkhus → leave → face
KTVQ reported that the injuries were not severe enough to require stitches.
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injuries → report → stitches
The encounter nevertheless resulted in medical treatment.
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encounter → result → treatment
Borkhus received a tetanus booster and antibiotics, and doctors also began a precautionary course of rabies vaccinations.
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doctors → receive → vaccinations
Wyoming Game and Fish investigated the encounter
Borkhus contacted the Wyoming Game and Fish Department after the incident.
asserted
Borkhus → investigate → incident
Wildlife personnel responded that evening and searched the area for the mountain lion, but they were unable to locate it.
asserted
they → respond → it
Officials confirmed that a dog had been attacked in heavy cover along South Fork Road near the Deer Creek Trailhead, followed by an attack on a person.
asserted
dog → confirm → person
…and 17 more, not listed.
The Aporia
